James 2:24

James 2:24. Ye see then, from this example of Abraham, how that by works a man is justified. The emphasis is upon works: stress is put upon the fact that faith must be productive of works.

and not by faith only. These words do not admit of the translation, ‘and not only by faith:' as if there were two kinds of justification, the one by faith and the other by works; or as if faith did part, and works were required to do the rest. The meaning is, ‘not by faith simply,' by a faith without works, which cannot justify either in whole or in part. It must be carefully observed that James does not deny that a man is justified by faith; on the contrary, he presupposes this truth, as without faith there can be no works, in the sense in which he employs the term works; he only asserts that justifying faith must not be alone, but must be productive of works.